Opinion: We need a comprehensive approach to keep our children and schools safe

by Boris Epshteyn, Chief Political Analyst

(Sinclair Broadcast Group)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Boris Epshteyn formerly served as a Senior Advisor to the Trump Campaign and served in the White House as Special Assistant to The President and Assistant Communications Director for Surrogate Operations.

WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - It is time for concrete action to prevent further school shootings and other mass attacks.

There needs to be a comprehensive approach to keep our schools and our children safe.

The House recently passed the Fix NICS Act. The bill calls for stronger background checks. President Trump supports the act. The Senate must pass this measure as soon as possible.

President Trump has directed the Department of Justice to ban certain gun modifications, such as bump stocks. They allow guns to become automatic. Banning them is the right thing to do and should be implemented right away.

Don’t forget, bump stocks allegedly allowed for the shooter in Las Vegas to fire over 1,000 rounds in just about 10 minutes. That shooting killed 58 people.

President Trump has also suggested raising the minimum age to buy so-called "long guns," rifles, to 21.

However, these commonsense, constitutional, limits on guns are not a cure-all. It’s important that they are combined with better-protected schools throughout the country.

If you look at cities in states with the most restrictive gun laws, like Baltimore and Chicago, that is where you will also see some of the highest gun murder rates in the country.

That is why armed guards, police and in some instances, well-trained and armed school officials should all be part of the answer.

Here is the bottom line: even the most restrictive gun laws possible under the Constitution can't --by themselves -- guarantee our children's safety in schools. Stronger, well-trained, security in our schools has to be mandated by the federal government.